Continuous transverse rolling process and apparatus

ABSTRACT

An improved process of and apparatus for continuous transverse rolling utilizing a pair of identical rolls, each having on its surface a V-shaped forming projection and a line-shaped feeding projection disposed helically and parallel to one another so that the basic lead angle of said V-sahped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection, said pair of rolls being driven by shafts held in parallel planes, but the shafts being tilted in said planes so that projections of their center lines onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between said shafts will intersect at a point falling on the feed line for stock to be inserted between the rolls, each projected center line of said shafts making the same angle with said feed line, and said angle being equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection and the basic lead angle of said forming projection.

Unie

States ae Ni: K

Inventors Tniklchi Awnno;

Atsushi Danna, both 011 Nagoya-511i, Japan Appl. No. 801,932 Filed Feb. 25, 11969 Patented Aug. 3 11, 197 1 Assignee Kabushlki Keisha Toyota 'Clhuo lisenlrijuslm Nagoya-sill, Japan Priority Mar. 11, 1968 Japan 43/113729 CONTINUOUS TRANSVlElRSlE IROILILIING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 72/71, 72/98 lint. Cl B21111 11/00, B2lh 8/00, B21h 9/00 Field of Search 72/70, 71,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 361,954 4/1887 Mannesmann 72/70 1,601,551 9/1926 Abramsen 72/90 2,014,203 9/1935 Hermann 72/70 2,060,087 11/1936 Klamp 72/100 2,150,815 3/1939 Berger 72/100 Primary ExaminerLowell A. Larson Atl0rneyBerman, Davidson and Berman ABSTRACT: An improved process of and apparatus for continuous transverse rolling utilizing a pair of identical rolls, each having on its surface a V-shaped forming projection and a line-shaped feeding projection disposed helically and parallel to one another so that the basic lead angle of said V-sahped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection, said pair of rolls being driven by shafts held in parallel planes, but the shafts being tilted in said planes so that projections of their center lines onto a plane perpendicular to ,the shortest line between said shafts will intersect at a point falling on the feed line for stock to be inserted between the rolls, each projected center line of said shafts making the same angle with said feed line, and said angle being equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection and the basic lead angle of said forming projection.

PATENTED M1831 I971 SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG.

-FIG.3.

IN VEN r025, AIM/4N0,

A TORNEYS.

CONTINUOUS TRANSVERSE ROLLING PROCESS AND APPARATUS The present invention relates to improvements in the process of and apparatus for continuous transverse hot rolling of stock to produce axially symmetrical products.

A new technique for metal forming, known as transverse hot rolling, has recently been discovered. This technique in volves forming heated bar stock of various materials into solid shapes of revolution which may be diverse and complex. The rate of production is high and a very satisfactory degree of accuracy is obtainable. Briefiy described, transverse hot rolling involves the feeding of stock in the form of long bars between moving dies, which may be cylindrical rolls, said dies having forming parts, or projections, thereon which roll the bar stock about its own axis, shaping and reducing the stock diameter by continuous rolling instead of by hammer impacts. Parts of widely varying shapes, which are normally machined on automatic lathes, can be produced including certain parts which cannot be produced on lathes, for example, those having longitudinal flutes, grooves, or splines. The accuracy is approximately equivalent to that of work produced on automatic lathes, and the rate of output is much higher. In continuous transverse hot rolling the stock is fed continuously between the forming dies either by external force, or by action of the dies, themselves, and a series of parts, which may or may not be automatically severed, are automatically formed in the bar stock.

When the transverse rolling forming dies comprise rotary rolls with forming projections thereon, such projections may be integrally formed in the rolls, or may be separately formed and secured thereto. In either case, since a portion of the stock having the same cubic volume as that of the desired shaped product must be initially grasped by the rolls and subsequently formed by squeezing and elongation, it has proved to be very difficult to plan the forming rolls and to fabricate, or produce them.

Heretofore, in continuous transverse rolling a pair of rolls, each having a V-shaped forming projection have never been tried, or suggested. Nor has it been suggested in a continuous rolling apparatus that a line-shaped feeding projection be provided on each of the rolls parallel with the basic lead line of the V-shaped forming projection to initially grasp the work stock and automatically feed the same. In fact, applicants are unaware of any prior suggestion that a line-shaped feeding projection should, or could, be used on forming rolls wither in conventional transverse, or continuous transverse rolling.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the defects, disadvantages, and omissions of the continuous conventional transverse hot-rolling process and apparatus, as briefly outlined above.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an improved process and apparatus for continuous transverse hot rolling in which each die roll includes a line-shaped feed projection.

A further object on the invention is to provide improved process and apparatus for continuous transverse hot rolling in which each die roll includes a V-shaped forming projection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved process and apparatus for continuous transverse hot rolling in which the die rolls are provided with both a V- shaped forming projection and a line-shaped feed projection, the latter being parallel to the basic lead line of the forming projection and having a beginning point of the feeding projection which lies on the roll in advance of the beginning point of the forming projection.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved process and apparatus for continuous transverse hot rolling which utilizes a pair of die rolls, having the above-described characteristics, wherein the axes of the die rolls lie in parallel planes, but one axis is tilted within its plane with respect to the other to provide a specific and important angle of intersection of the projections of the roll axes onto a plane, which is perpendicular to the shortest line between the roll axes and which includes the stock feed line, said angle of intersection of the projected axes being equal to the basic lead angle of the V- shaped forming projection and the corresponding lead angle of the line-forming projection.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for continuous transverse rolling which includes a pair of die rolls each having a Vshaped forming projection and a line-shaped feeding projection disposed helically in parallel on the surface thereof, said projections on one roll being identical with those on the other.

It is still another object of the invention to provide die rolls, having the above-described characteristics, which may be easily planned and easily fabricated.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved method of producing axially symmetrical products continuously and with high efficiency in the interest of mass production. The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several Figures, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the mounting arrangement of the rolls used in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the mounting arrangement of the rolls;

FIG. 3 is a diagram in plan showing an example of the product obtained by use of the invention;

FIG. 4! is a diagram showing the development of the peripheral surface of one of the rolls;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same roll;

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the roll of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram in plan showing; another product in the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modified roll.

The work, or stock, to be shaped by the method and apparatus according to the present invention is axially symmetrical bar stock, and the product of the invention is also axially symmetrical. Therefore, in this specification and the claims this axially symmetrical stock is recited as stock and the axially symmetrical product is recited as product for the sake of simplicity.

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TRANSVERSE ROLLING Referring now to the drawings, apparatus usable under the invention is shown in FIGS. I and 2 as comprising a pair of rolls 1,1 of identical form and size. These rolls are mounted such that their axes, i.e., the center lines of the rotary shafts 2,2, lie in parallel planes, and as is shown in FIG. 2, the shaft axes while retained in said planes, are tilted with respect to each other other so that when the axes of the shafts 2,2 are projected onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between said shafts, they will intersect on the line pp, each center line, or axis, of the shafts making the same angle with said line PP. In fabricating the rolls, the angle 0 is selected as the lead angle of the line-shaped projections 3,3 for feeding the stock and also is the lead angle of the basic lead line BF, FIG. 4 of the projection 4,4 for forming the stock. Stock S is fed between the rolls along the line PP in the direction of the arrows, FIG. 11.

Since the pair of rolls 1,1 are equal as to form and size, explanation in the following paragraphs of the features of both rolls will be given only once and with respect to one of the rolls, it being understood that the other roll is identical, and provided with the same features.

For mass producing the axially symmetrical product D as is shown by the full line portion of FIG. 3, the feeding projection 3 and the forming projection 4, as shown particularly in FIG. 4

through FIG. 6, are provided on the peripheral surface of the roll 1.

The feeding projection 3 is helical in form having .the lead angle which conforms to the desired feed pitch of the stock. The forming projection 4, inclusive of the basic lead line BF having the same lead angle 9 as that of the feeding projection 3 is also helical and parallel with the feeding projection 3 on the peripheral surface of the roll 1.

The starting end of the feeding projection 3 (left end portion in FIG. 4) is shaped in sharp wedge form increasing in height along the line AC to a predetermined height in the direction opposite the rotating direction on the roll 1 (i.e., toward the right side of FIG. 4) thereby to form the inlet portion 31 where the stock is first grasped by the forming roll. The intermediate portion of the feeding projection along the line Cl of portion 32 is of uniform and predetermined height, corresponding to the maximum height of portion 31. If necessary, the end portion of the feeding projection 3 (the right end portion of FIG. 4) is made higher to form the cutting portion 321 for cutting the stock with the line IG as the knife edge.

The starting end of the forming projection 4 (the left end in the diagram of FIG. 4) is shaped into a sharp wedge along the line BB which is raised to a predetermined height from slightly in rear of the starting and inlet portion 31 of the feeding projection 3 in the direction (to the right in the diagram) opposite the rotating direction of the roll 1, thereby to form the inlet portion 41 where the stock is grasped by the forming projections. The forming portion 42 has a plane surface 421, of a predetermined height (the same height as the maximum height of said inlet portion 41) and is widened, or expanded, in the roll axis direction by the expanding angle ,8 with the basic lead line BF. The forming portion 42 also has a tilted surface 422 which connects to said portion 41 ans intersects the surface of the roll making the same angle as said expanding angle B with the basic lead line BF.

If necessary, a finishing portion 43 is connected to the forming portion 42 (see the right side in the diagram of FIG. 4). The finishing portion 43 includes the line I K of the tilted surface 432, connected to the tilted'surface 422 of the forming portion 42, and disposed parallel to the basic lead line BF. The finishing portion also includes a plane surface 431, whose height is made equal to that of the plane surface 421 of the forming portion 42, and a tilted surface 432 whose intersection HE with the surface of the roll is disposed parallel to the basic lead line BF.

The facing wall surfaces of the feeding projection 3 (form the inlet portion 31 to the cutting portion 321) and the forming projection 4 (from the inlet portion 41 to the finishing surface 431) are parallel and are formed almost perpendicular to the surface of the roll, and a concave groove 5 is formed between the two.

THE PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS TRANSVERSE HOT ROLLING AND METHOD OF OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS To carry out the process of transverse hot rolling in a continuous manner according to the invention, a pair of rolls 1,1 as described above, and each having the feeding projection 3 and the forming projection 4 helically formed on, or affixed to, the periphery thereof, are mounted in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the projections of the axes of the rolls intersecting on the stock feed line PP between the rolls at an angle 0, as described. Suitable and conventional power means are provided for rotating the rolls in the same direction, see atrows N, FIGS. 1 and 2, at the same speed. The axially symmetrical stock 8 to be shaped is inserted between the rolls along the line and in the direction pp. The inlet portion 31 of each feeding projection 3 will simultaneously bite the stock at their end points A, and the feeding projections will start to move the stock at right angle to their helical lines and the direction PP axially of the stock, the rotation of the rolls causing the stock to be rotated in a direction opposite each roll at its point of contact. As the rolls turn, the stock continues to move in the direction of PP until its end is grasped by the inlet portion 41 of the forming projection so that, as the rolls continue to turn, a portion of the stock is pinched between the inlet portions 31 and 41.

During rotation, the portion of the stock grasped by the inlet portion 31 of the feeding projection 3 arrives at the following portion 32 of predetermined height, and then it is continued to be rotated in the direction opposite the direction of the rotation of the rolls 1,1 while being guided by the portion 32 without being deformed thereafter.

The portion of the stock grasped by the inlet portion 41 rotates to arrive at the forming portion 42 of the forming projection 4, and is elongated, or extended thereby and along the feed line PP. This elongation is in the direction perpendicular to the basic lead line BF of the forming projection 4 and is caused by the V-shaped of the forming projection whose forming portion 42 has the plane surface 421 widening by the expanding angle [3 and the tilted surface 422 at the same angle. During this elongation the stock as a whole is moved in the direction PP because it is being pinched at a part positioned within the groove portion 5 between the feeding projection 3 and the forming projection 4.

That portion of the stock which has passed through the forming portion 42 and arrived at the finishing portion 43 is ceased to be elongated in the axial direction and is subjected to surface finishing while rotating of the finishing portion 43 because the line I K and the basic lead line BF are parallel. The connection between the stock which has passed through the finishing portion, and the unprocessed portion of the stock is cut off by the cutting portion 321, and the product D (full lines, FIG. 3) is obtained.

Just before the product D is cut off, the following unprocessed portion of the stack starts to enter the inlet portion 31 of the feeding projection 3.

Thus, during one rotation of the rolls 1,1, the stock S which is grasped at the respective end points A and B of the feeding projection '3 and the forming projection 4, is forwarded in the direction PP and rolled as far as the respective end points F and G, and as a result the stock S is shaped into one product D as the required portion of the stock S is extended in the direction PP until the bite of the following portion of the stock occurs at the point A on the next revolution.

From the above it will be seen that during said one revolution, the stock S is moved in the direction PP by a distance almost equal to the pitch of the basic lead line BF, and thus, product D is repetitively and continuously shaped by continuous rolling.

In the conventional continuous rolling process, a portion of the stick of the same cubic volume as that of a desired product is picked up by both ends and the stock is gradually formed within the range of said cubic volume. As will be noted from the preceding description, in the present invention only the feed-in side of the stock is picked up by the feeding projection 3, and the feed-out side is freely extended, or elongated. Therefore, it is considerably easier to plan, or design, the rolls, and this is considered to be an important characteristic of this invention.

To the best knowledge of the applicants, a feeding projection has not heretofore been utilized in conventional, continuous hot-rolling processes. As mentioned above, the feeding projection 3 is provided in such a manner that a helical line is formed on the surface of the roll in the direction in which the stick is inserted. The stock is grasped by said feeding projection and rotated by the rolls. The stock is guided by said feeding projection while being rotated in the direction opposite the rotating direction of the rolls, and the stock is moved on the peripheral surface of the rolls in a direction perpendicular to said helical line.

In the method of this invention, the direction in which the stock is extended by the forming projection is made to agree with the direction in which the stock is moved by the feeding projection, by arranging the forming projection parallel to the feeding projection and by providing a processing surface whose width is increased in the direction opposite the rotating direction of the rolls. The lead angle of the basic lead line of the forming projection agrees with that of the feeding projection, and therefore, the stock can be extended freely in the axial direction thereof, and it is possible to continuously roll the stock smoothly and easily.

In the above-described embodiment, a cutting portion is provided at the end of the feeding projection, but it is, of course, possible to continuously shape the stock without providing said cutting portion, and in such a case, products D, D, C" unitedly and continuously formed, as is shown by the full and dotted lines in FIG. 3, will be obtained.

It is, of course, possible to replace the finishing portion 43 by another forming projection.

When a more complicated product is desired to be obtained, the rolls are planned in such a manner that more than two forming projections are separately provided in parallel with the feeding projection in the peripheral direction of the rolls, or one forming projection is overlapped by a part of another, or a plurality of forming projections are overlappingly provided in parallel with said feeding projection in the axial direction of the roll.

When a product DC (FIG. 7) having a curved central squeezed portion is desired to be produced, this can be attained by planning the form of the rolls to include a predeter mined convex curvature, which is constant along the peripheral direction of the rolls, on the surfaces of the forming portions corresponding to 4211 and 4311 in the preceding embodiment, instead of making said surfaces plane.

When grooves, or projections, in parallel with the feeding projection are provided on the forming surfaces of the portions corresponding to the plane surfaces 421 and 4L3], it is possible to produce a product having convex or concave surfaces which are the reverse, or complements of said grooves, or projections. 7

When a desired product is relatively long, the roll 1C, FIG. 8, whose peripheral surface is formed as a hyperboloid of revolution, is used. A feeding projection and forming projection are provided on said roll 1C similar to those described in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, thus making it possible to attain continuous and stable forming with excellent precision.

Instead of the rolls being formed as hyperboloids of revolution, rolls formed as circular cones with their upper parts cut off, or truncated, can also be used to attain the same effect.

Providing serrations on the tilted surface of the forming projection ensures a firm grip of the stock, to stabilize the rolling process.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not intended to be restricted to the exact showing of the drawings and description thereof, but is considered to include reasonable and obvious equivalents.

What is claimed is:

1. Continuous transverse rolling apparatus comprising a pair of rolls each having a V-shaped forming projection and a line-shaped feeding projection disposed helically on its surface in such a way that the basic lead angle of said V-shaped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of said feeding projec tion, said rolls being identical in form and size, the axes of rotation of said rolls being disposed in parallel planes but tilted in said planes so that projection of said axes onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between the axes will intersect at a point falling on a feed line foe axially symmetrical stock to be inserted between the rolls, each projection of said axes making the same angle with said feed line, and said angle being equal to the basic lead angle of said forming projection.

2. A process for continuous transverse rolling utilizing a pair of rolls each having a V-shaped forming projection helically disposed thereon and a line-shaped feeding projection parallel to said forming projection disposed helicall on its surface in such a way that the basic lead angle of said -shaped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of'said feeding projection, comprising the steps of disposing said rolls with their axes in parallel planes but tilted therein so that the projections of the axes onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between said axes intersect at a point lying in a stock-feed line passing between the rolls, continuously rotating said rolls, and inserting axially symmetrical bar stock between said rotating rolls along said feed line so that the inserted end portion of said stock is pinched at a portion positioned between said lineshaped feeding projection and the basic lead line of said V- shaped forming projection, and fed axially of the stock by said line-shaped feeding projections, and the portion of said stock adjacent to said pinched portion of said stock is freely elongated by the forming projections in the direction perpendicular to said basic lead line of said forming projections, resulting in the production of one axially symmetrical shaped product during each rotation of said rolls in a continuous manner.

3. Apparatus according to claim ll, wherein a knife edge is provided at the end portion of the line-shaped feeding projection of each roll.

4. Apparatus according to claim I, wherein the widths of said V-shaped forming projections increase in the directions opposite the rotating directions of said rolls.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said pair of rolls is shaped as a cylinder on which the V-shaped forming projection and the line-shaped feeding projection are formed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said rolls is shaped as a hyperboloid of revolution on which the V- shaped forming projection and the line-shaped feeding projection are formed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the height of the line-shaped feeding projection of each roll is constant except at its beginning portion.

8. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a knife edge is provided at the end portion of each of said feeding projections for separating the products from the stock at the completion of forming, said knife edge being raised. to a higher level above the roll surface than the other portions of the feeding projection.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped forming projection includes at its starting end a sharp wedge rising to a predetermined height, a plane surface extending around the cylinder at said predetermined height, and a tilted surface extending from the roll surface to intersect said plane surface along a line which makes an expanding angle with said basic lead line of the forming projection.

ll). Apparatus according to claim I, wherein said Vshaped forming projection terminates is a finishing portion, said finishing portion being disposed parallel to the basic lead line of the V-shaped forming projection and having a constant width and a height equal to said predetermined height of the plane surface of the forming projection. 

1. Continuous transverse rolling apparatus comprising a pair of rolls each having a V-shaped forming projection and a line-shaped feeding projection disposed helically on its surface in such a way that the basic lead angle of said V-shaped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection, said rolls being identical in form and size, the axes of rotation of said rolls being disposed in parallel planes but tilted in said planes so that projection of said axes onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between the axes will intersect at a point falling on a feed line foe axially symmetrical stock to be inserted between the rolls, each projection of said axes making the same angle with said feed line, and said angle being equal to the basic lead angle of said forming projection.
 2. A process for continuous transverse rolling utilizing a pair of rolls each having a V-shaped forming projection helically disposed thereon and a line-shaped feeding projection parallel to said forming projection disposed helically on its surface in such a way that the basic lead angle of said V-shaped forming projection is equal to the lead angle of said feeding projection, comprising the steps of disposing said rolls with their axes in parallel planes but tilted therein so that the projections of the axes onto a plane perpendicular to the shortest line between said axes intersect at a point lying in a stock-feed line passing between the rolls, continuously rotating said rolls, and inserting axially symmetrical bar stock between said rotating rolls along said feed line so that the inserted end portion of said stock is pinched at a portion positioned between said line-shaped feeding projection and the basic lead line of said V-shaped forming projection, and fed axially of the stock by said line-shaped feeding projections, and the portion of said stock adjacent to said pinched portion of said stock is freely elongated by the forming projections in the direction perpendicular to said basic lead line of said forming projections, resulting in the production of one axially symmetrical shaped product during each rotation of said rolls in a continuous manner.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a knife edge is provided at the end portion of the line-shaped feeding projection of each roll.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the widths of said V-shaped forming projections increase in the directions opposite the rotating directions of said rolls.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said pair of rolls is shaped as a cylinder on which the V-shaped forming projection and the line-shaped feeding projection are formed.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4, Wherein each of said rolls is shaped as a hyperboloid of revolution on which the V-shaped forming projection and the line-shaped feeding projection are formed.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the height of the line-shaped feeding projection of each roll is constant except at its beginning portion.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a knife edge is provided at the end portion of each of said feeding projections for separating the products from the stock at the completion of forming, said knife edge being raised to a higher level above the roll surface than the other portions of the feeding projection.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped forming projection includes at its starting end a sharp wedge rising to a predetermined height, a plane surface extending around the cylinder at said predetermined height, and a tilted surface extending from the roll surface to intersect said plane surface along a line which makes an expanding angle with said basic lead line of the forming projection.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped forming projection terminates is a finishing portion, said finishing portion being disposed parallel to the basic lead line of the V-shaped forming projection and having a constant width and a height equal to said predetermined height of the plane surface of the forming projection. 